Meet Passion, a shy, 10-year-old girl with a beautiful smile. She and her 11-year-old brother, Brandon, live with their mother, grandmother, and great grandmother in an apartment in Houston's Historic Third Ward. According to Passion's grandmother, the family has very few books in their home and the nearest public library is 30 minutes from where they live. There are simply too many barriers the family faces to visit the library. Having books in the home would allow Passion and Brandon "to read more often and learn new words," says their grandmother.
Passion's favorite subjects in school are math and reading, and in her free time she loves to roller blade and draw. Like Brandon and the other children who attend Blackshear Elementary School, Passion would like to have her very own home library so that she may enjoy reading at home, especially during the summer months when her school is closed. Through our My Home Library initiative, Passion created a wish list of six new books she would love to read and keep, including Disney-Pixar's Inside Out, Goosebumps, Little Mermaid and Other Stories, and The Adventures of Captain Underpants.
Research shows that it is critical for children, especially economically disadvantaged children and English Language Learners, to have access to books in their home and for them to read books over the summer. Specifically, if children read at least six books during the summer, then they will mitigate the "summer learning slide" often experienced because of lack of access to books.
We want to help more Houston children have the necessary tools in their home for reading success. But, we need your help. Passion is just one of more than 400 children in The Third Ward who have created a wish list of books and need a sponsor for their home library. Which child's life will you change?
With your tax-deductible donation of only $30, you can sponsor Passion, Brandon or other children attending Blackshear Elementary School and make a meaningful impact in their lives. Simply visit
MyHomeLibraryHouston.org and click on "Sponsor a Child."
Thank you for your generosity and for helping to ensure that more children in our community have the basic tools-books-to become strong readers.
Sincerely,
Julie Finck, Ph.D.
President
